They fell off the trellis four years ago. Today, they recognize their crimes. In a 130-page report, seven former guerrilla leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) acknowledged “Expressly” their responsibility in the hostage-taking practiced by the armed organization, which is now demobilized.
The document was sent Friday April 30 to the magistrates of the Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) who, in January, had formally accused them of war crimes and crimes against humanity, by attributing to them more than 21,000 kidnappings between 1990 and 2016 and detailing the torture and degrading treatment inflicted on the victims. “The kidnappings are an unacceptable and unjustifiable fact legally and politically, says the report of the former guerrilla leaders. Denying the pain of the victims was never our intention. “
In the opinion of specialists in transitional justice – all the measures supposed to enable a country to confront a past of war crimes – and supporters of negotiated peace, the decision of the FARC is “Historical”. But, Friday, it was largely eclipsed in the media by the wave of mobilization which, since April 28, shakes the big cities of the country. The demonstrations which slipped into acts of vandalism were brutally repressed by the police on Friday evening, in particular in Cali (west), where the army was deployed, and where an unofficial death toll was 14 dead . Human Rights Watch has counted 35 dead and several missing since the protests began.
Former chiefs should escape prison
Trade unions, left-wing parties and social organizations called for new demonstrations for Saturday 1er may. They intend to block the tax reform that President Ivan Duque (right) wants to have approved by Congress in the midst of a pandemic.
Former guerrilla leaders should escape prison. The 2016 peace agreement that created the JEP provides that the perpetrators of atrocious crimes – whether military or guerrilla – will be subject to alternative sentences if they confess their crimes, ask for forgiveness and agree to compensate their victims. victims. In January, the president of the tribunal, Eduardo Cifuentes, declared: “The guerrillas have surrendered their weapons, they have yet to reveal the truth. ” It is now up to the magistrates of the JEP to decide the penalties applicable to the former chiefs.
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